Personal Hacks

5 Of The Best Ways To Wind Down

Sleep is great, sleep is good but, sometimes in our busy day to day lives it can be so hard to get to that ‘2pm nap on the couch sleep feeling‘ when you’re heading to bed.

With our phones buzzing, the TV on and other kinds of stimuli around us all of the time, it can get really hard to try and relax.

I am so guilty of not switching off my phone or TV an hour before bed (as everyone recommends!) and then i wonder why i can’t sleep.

The thing is turning off the TV isn’t an option or i would just be sat in silence! I do try not to use my phone and only answer messages from my Mum but turning everything off completely just isn’t an option for me.

However, there are other things you can do that can really help you to unwind. Realistic things that the everyday person can do, things that i do. And i want to tell you all about them …

Tea

This is a little TMI but i have the smallest bladder in the world (no exaggeration there) and i cannot drink before bed. I watch my boyfriend guzzle down a glass of water and stare in bewilderment, how does he not pee all through the night? that is just something i will never, ever know.

I have to stop drink a good 2-3 hours before bed and i know i am not alone (i’m looking at you fellow small bladder owners!).

However, tea is one of the greatest ways to wind down and de-stress. If you’re British you all know about the ‘tea in a crisis‘ and it really does seem to help. And it works a few hours before bed too.

Once i finish dinner, i like to drink a small cup of peppermint or chamomile tea. Peppermint tea is really good at helping you digest food and just soothes your stomach whereas chamomile tea is well known for relaxing and calming its drinkers down.

If you can, skip the usual teabags and try chamomile, peppermint or even a branded ‘relax’ tea to help you unwind before bed.

Being Cozy

The first thing i do if i want to feel sleepy is to put on my PJ’s, some slippers or fluffy socks and wrap myself up like a child.

There’s something about being wrapped in a blanket that really calms anyone down (perhaps it’s the immobility that does it!).

If it’s winter time, i put on the heating, turn off the lights and watch my favorite shows with my phone on silent.

I do this every night and because it’s so part of my routine, my body now knows that this is what we do before bed. So i guess what i’m saying really is, to get cozy and warm and make it a routine, don’t sit in your work or school clothes.

Baths

I am not the biggest fan of baths. A lot of people don’t like them because of the whole ‘sitting in your own dirt‘ aspect but that’s not my reason.

I’m not that keen on baths because i get cold. No matter how much water i keep adding, i still feel the chill and it all just gets on my nerves.

However, saying that, nothing feels better than a bath after a stressful day and it’s something i really advise you to do (before the cozy step above!).

You only need a few drops in your bath and you can just let yourself lay back and relax and be infused by the relaxing lavender scent.

Background Noise

Some people hate this but if i really can’t sleep and i really can’t stop things from twirling around my head, i put on some background noise.

There’s so many apps and YouTube videos out there for free that you can download and they shut off at your chosen time, i think they’re perfect.

I put on rain sound affects as for some reason it just makes me chill out, so next time you can’t sleep, give it a try and allow your brain to focus on one thing and will soon shut off and allow you to sleep.

Rescue Remedy

I really swear by rescue remedy (day and night). If i’m feeling anxious a few drops of the day oil really calms me down, whether it’s psychological or not, it works for me.

I also tried out the night remedy (UK Click Here) it claims to help you sleep and although i was a little skeptical at first, it did help me drop off. It’s all natural and i am sure it’s all psychological but if it works, it’s worth it.

Eye Mask And Ear Plugs

I could not live with these two things. It’s only been a few months and already i struggle to sleep if i have forgotten to bring them with me.

The eye mask just allows you to really block out all light and any disturbances but the earplugs are like a miracle. They blog out everything and i don’t think i have ever, ever slept better.